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Mitch Zeller, J.D., has more than 25 years of regulatory, legislative, and communications experience working with federal health agencies on public health policy issues. At Pinney Associates, he leads domestic and global efforts around strategic communications and health policy on the regulation of pharmaceuticals and tobacco products and the treatment of tobacco dependence.  His work includes development and implementation of policy strategies related to evaluation and approval of new products, devising outreach strategies to key target audiences, and forming public health coalitions.

Prior to joining PinneyAssociates, Mr. Zeller was executive vice president of the American Legacy Foundation, a public health foundation located in Washington, D.C., created by the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. His responsibilities included marketing, communications, and strategic partnerships.  Mr. Zeller also created the foundation's first Office of Policy and Government Relations.

During his career, Mr. Zeller served as associate commissioner and director of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Office of Tobacco Programs where he built the first nationwide program to reduce youth access to tobacco. He served as the FDA's representative on tobacco issues in all dealings with the Congress, federal and state agencies, public health groups and foreign governments. Mr. Zeller also served as an official U.S. delegate to the World Health Organization (WHO) Working Group for the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.  At the FDA, Mr. Zeller also worked on dietary supplements, animal drug, and human drug policy issues.

Mr. Zeller began his public health career as assistant director for Legal Affairs with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer organization in Washington, D.C., and then as counsel to the Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Government Operations Committee where he conducted oversight of federal health and safety agencies.

Mr. Zeller has published papers in several leading medical and public health journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, and the Journal of the American Medical Association. He has been recognized for his work on tobacco control with the Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service and the National Public Affairs Special Recognition Award from the American Heart Association. Mr. Zeller also had the honor of being selected to travel to Moscow on behalf of President Bill Clinton to accept the "World No Tobacco Day" medal from the President of WHO in recognition of the Clinton Administration's groundbreaking work on tobacco.

Mr. Zeller attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire and is a graduate of the American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C.

He has non-compensated appointments as Visiting Scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health and Professorial Lecturer at the American University Law School.  He is also a registered lobbyist.